You know them as the tyre company with the blimp as its mascot and logo, but Goodyear Tire & Rubber are so much more than just one of the largest tyre manufacturing companies in the world. Goodyear is also the most successful tyre supplier in Formula One history, with more starts, wins, and constructors’ championships than any other tyre supplier.

Goodyear tyres in New Zealand

Goodyear New Zealand was founded in 1917. Originally they only imported tyres, but in 1949 they began producing their own in Dunlop’s factories. Dunlop and Goodyear were in a 50/50 joint venture from 1987 but in 2006, Goodyear took back ownership of their tyre business.

History of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

In 1839, Charles Goodyear accidentally discovered that adding sulphur to rubber and then heating it changed its consistency. This would later be known as the vulcanisation process.

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling as a manufacturer of bicycle and carriage tyres, rubber horseshoe pads, and poker chips. Frank had to borrow $3,500 and ongoing financing from his brother-in-law Lucius Miles for the down-payment on an abandoned strawboard factory.

When Henry Ford bought 1,200 Goodyear tyres for his Model T vehicles in 1907, Goodyear tyres became the standard for the first ever commercial cars. By 1916, Goodyear was the world’s largest tyre company.

In 1901 Goodyear manufactured its first aircraft tyre, and in 1912 built its first blimp airship. It was a major manufacturer of the US army blimp airships and observation balloons that contributed significantly to the Allied victory in WWI. In 1942, they went on to build Corsair fighter planes for WWII battles. In 1970, Goodyear supplied the tyres for the Apollo 14 – the first tyres to touch the moon.

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